Saturday, 30 July 2016

#askvarsha contestAsk Author Varsha Dixit a question on your blog and she will answer you in her own unique way. Watch out this space for more. Only the best questions will be selected.My Question for #askvarsha is..If you are co-authoring a book with a debut author, what guidance will you pass on in terms of writing and marketing?

RIGHTFULLY WRONG, WRONGFULLY RIGHT

by

Varsha Dixit

Blurb

Love is in the air again…this time it’s steamy, bold and manipulative!

Gayatri and Viraj both are products of childhood trauma. Yet they were able to survive, one because of her shrewdness and the other because of his genius. Rightfully Wrong Wrongfully Right, the final part in the best selling ‘Right and Wrong’ love trilogy is the story of these two damaged souls.

Gayatri Dutta, the poster child for rich spoiled diva is fighting to escape a life of servitude her tyrant father is hell bent on pushing her into. Her past string of failures have her backed against a wall. Lonely and desperate!

Viraj is a con who uses his genius to perpetuate his isolation. His life once of violence and abuse has left him cynical and cold.He shuns the society and its hypocrisies.

And then Gayatri and Viraj cross paths. She needs him and he despises her.

To Viraj, Gayatri, is the epitome of all that he despises, shallow, manipulative and the kind who uses her beauty as a weapon. Or is she?

Gayatri sees Viraj only as a means to an end. She is sure that Viraj with his nerdy demeanor, owlish glasses and crude behavior will be easy to manipulate and walk over. Only he isn’t!

‘I can do this, I can do this, I can...’ Gayatri wound her fingers tightly around her cellphone as she made her way to the cubbyhole Viraj called his office. I did not expect a freaking hug, but a polite ‘how are you’ wouldn’t kill that man. She rapped her knuckles on the door.

Viraj swung the door open. ‘What?’ His brows were furrowed and his lips, pursed.

Gayatri remembered what Nikhil had said to her once. Dr Viraj owns and runs this lab. He was the only one you needed to impress! ‘It’s my first day here!’ Gayatri could hear her voice shake. ‘Could you tell me...’

Gayatri scuttled out of Viraj’s way as he leaned out. ‘Find an empty room, do your work there. You are free to leave any time you want. You are free to come or to not come.’ The door shut on her face.

Flabbergasted, Gayatri kept staring at the door. What just happened? She cleared her throat. I should not piss him off anymore. ‘Thank you for this…this job.’ Her voice was as uncertain as the look on her face.

Viraj tugged the door open again. Gayatri flashed a smile at him and opened her mouth to speak but he stopped her short. ‘I don’t like talking. Find a room and stay there.’ He shut the door on her again.

Asshole! Gayatri fisted her hands and retreated. I can do this! I am doing this! Bigger picture, please! Gayatri paused and peeped inside the first lab that she stumbled upon. The place was quiet except for a low hum of machines. Gayatri pushed the doors open and walked inside the lab. It was empty. ‘Does anyone else work here besides the mad scientist?’ She leaned against one of the steel racks. The door flew open behind her. With a big grin she turned to greet the person coming in. ‘Hi! I—’ she froze. It was the mad scientist with a bunch of papers in his hand.

Viraj noticed Gayatri at the same time. A familiar irritation flashed in his eyes. ‘Not this room. Not my lab! Find another room!’ He spoke with cool authority.

‘I was just looking!’ Gayatri smoothed her ponytail trying to mask her nervousness. He had her in knots.

Giving an indifferent shrug, Viraj walked past her. Gayatri got a whiff of his aftershave; it smelled clean and crisp, like water with a twist of lemon. At least he doesn’t stink like his manners! Gayatri stood there quiet and confused.

A loose paper slipped from Viraj’s hand and landed on the floor.

‘You dropped some paper!’ Gayatri said, her voice friendly.

‘Ignore it. Like you, it is not going anywhere.’ Viraj pulled a portable stool and took a seat in front of an electronic panel fixed to a bigger panel.

Gayatri gritted her teeth and grinned with the ferocity of a wild animal that could pounce any moment.

Unknown to her, Viraj gave a similar smile except his was more like the wild animal that had pounced and won.

‘I’ll go and find a room. Thank you!’ Swiveling on her heel, Gayatri headed for the door.

Something stopped her—her father’s face and the realization that two weeks ago she had physically fought for herself, and now she had to fight again but with her mind instead of hands. I have to win over Mr Madness. Maybe I could wear a beaker over my head and tattoo the periodic table on my arms!

‘If you are trying to open the door telepathically, let me be the first to tell you it is not working!’

Gayatri exhaled noisily. Scathing and sarcastic, what more could a woman ask for? Taking a few calming breaths, she slowly pivoted to face Viraj, specifically his back as he sat hunched fiddling with the panel in front of him.

‘I’m sorry if I have offended you somehow. I really need this job. And also, I’m qualified for it. I can show you my degrees. I can really make a difference here.’

Hearing Gayatri’s words and her apologetic tone, something melted inside Viraj...again. But to keep up appearances, he turned rude. ‘I’m busy!’ he barked.

‘Please Mr Viraj, give me—’ Just then, without warning, someone swung the door open. Gayatri wasn’t prepared for the push. ‘Ouch!’ She toppled. Her desperate hands grabbed the first thing in the vicinity—a steel rack. The rack shuddered violently and some of its contents landed on the floor.

‘What the hell!’ Viraj bellowed jumping to his feet.

Gayatri winced. A large electrical component had crashed into her hand ‘The door just opened, pushing me in,’ she said shaking her arm in pain.

Viraj glared at the door. He instantly lost the frown and his mouth eased at the ends. ‘Oh it’s you! Come inside!’

Huh, Hyde turns Jekyll! Gayatri spun around.

A timid, bespectacled, five-foot-nothing girl, her long hair in a tight braid, clad in a pastel-coloured salwaar kameez, stood at the door. Her skin was smooth and her hands kept tugging at the dupatta around her neck ‘Sorry to interrupt! Dr Kalra wanted to show you some tests he is about to run in lab 2.’ She then glanced at Gayatri. ‘I’m sorry if I hurt you. It was an accident.’

Gayatri was about to speak but Viraj cut her off. ‘She’s fine. Let’s go!’

Viraj went out with the girl, not even sparing a glance at Gayatri.

Astounded, Gayatri watched them leave.

Urghh…the shit-faced scientist actually smiled and that too at that girl! Gayatri kicked the steel rack. It shuddered again! Shoot! Before anything else would fall on her, Gayatri went after the scientist and the simpleton.

Varsha Dixit, the bestselling author of four successful contemporary romance books. Her debut book, Right Fit Wrong Shoe was a national bestseller for the year 2010. Varsha was a part of the Indian Television Industry and worked as an assistant director and online editor. She considers herself a dreamer who thinks deep but writes light. Even though creativity is gender free,Varsha feels blessed and enriched to be a woman. Currently, with her family, Varsha resides in CA, USA.

Thursday, 21 July 2016

All he had was three things: A dragon tattoo, a black
spectacle, a silver trinklet.

All she had was two things: Moustache, Checkered shirt

The music was loud and the lights were dim. The dance floor
was occupied and cramped for space.

She was sitting on the bar stool, at the
bar, sipping her drink while her eyes kept scanning for two things.

He entered the pub and stood silently at one of the corners,
his eyes scanning for the required details. Having a rich experience, he
quickly took a glance at the bar. He found the three things for what he was
looking for. With a smile, he took to the dance floor.

Convinced, he walked towards the bar at the bar stool and placed
a small gun at the back of her head.

Immediately, with a swift of her right hand, she injected
the vial on his right thigh before he could pull the trigger.

Moustache- Checked, Checkered Shirt- Checked

But, what was not checked was their relationship as Husband
and Wife, as the assassin in her took over her soul.

This post is written for Half Marathon Blogging Challenge with Blogchatter for Day 6.

Monday, 18 July 2016

She occupied the front row seat, right in the center, from
where things can be captured easily. Amidst exchange of cheek kissing, jealous
smiles and attitude throwing celebs, she stood out as a famous fashion
designer.

The lights faded off and all the focus was on the show. One
by one, the models burned the floor with their stunning looks, showcasing the
spring summer collection. It was time for the showstopper to showcase the
design created by the front row occupant designer. The model came out with a
thunderous round of applause and a couple of steps later, disaster occurred- Wardrobe
Malfunction.

The designer was capturing her right from the start in her
camera and left a conniving smile just when the disaster struck.

The PR machinery brought back the ‘once a star actress’ back
into limelight.

This post is written for Half Marathon Blogging Challenge with Blogchatter for Day 3

Saturday, 16 July 2016

Both of them were dancing to the choreographer’s steps.
Suddenly, her eyes widened which was not captured on the screen.

A thunderous roar followed the claps, as the director
screamed ‘cut’.

Both continued looking into each other’s eyes as if
something was brewing between them. The crew members, the director and each and
everyone present of the set was in a bit of a puzzle as there was no news of
the two ‘going on’ in the market.

Suddenly she pushed him a little away from her, lifted her
right hand and swinged it as fast she could to land right between his legs.

He got a stinging message then and there, ‘Not to take undue
advantage’.

This post is written for Half Marathon Blogging Challenge with Blogchatter for Day 2

Wednesday, 13 July 2016

About the author- Nivedita N, a Hyderabadi has taken the yatra called poerty in 2007. He journey along with walks with poetry books include conversations with her muses over cups of chai or sitting near the Hussain Sagar Lake and a rendezvous with thehistorical figures. She currently resides in Milwaukee where she meets her muses over Caramel Coffee during Spring and Fall and hiberantes during Midwestern winters.

On the jacket- This book is a collection of the poems that have been read in poetry groups. Blame the group members if you find these ramblings nonsensical. Written in her journal, the poems are sign posts along the journey called ‘everyday’. This is an attempt to recapture the thoughts over a period of the years she lived away from home yet moved closer to it.

Review: Poems are a way to express the inner most feelings and bring out those feelings and emotions like an aroma of a freshly brewed coffee. In the book 'Aerogramme and other Poems', the author Nivedita N, has brought out such feelings and emotions through some wonderful poems. The feeling after reading the poems stays for a time and this shows how the choice of words and writing has an affect on the reader. Poems such as 'We Never Knew' and 'The Refugee' made me nostalgic, remembering the old days whereas 'Two Cane Chairs' and 'Aerogramme' hit me hard.

Overall: I would recommend Aerogramme and other Poems to each and every aspiring poet and also readers in general. This breezy poetry book will have a lingering effect once you have finished reading it.

Sunday, 10 July 2016

Half year is still left for the 2016 to come to an end and the first half has just gone by. Over the years of my blogging journey, I have never used it as a means to do some rant over any subject, but for the first time I feel compelled to do so.

Many of us go through life's trials and tribulations, setbacks and try working on them and bring lives back to normalcy, back to how it used to be. My life is going through something of that sort. Not many people know about it, apart from the close few. For past few years things have been not so good, not as I would have wished for, but it is. This has given a rise to many pent up emotions in me, which at times becomes difficult for me to express, to share. Hence, I am writing it through this poem, expressing about a few beautiful moments which I seek and cherish for life.

Through this ongoing period of distress, I have come to know a lot more about relationships, values, trust and lot more on how people's behaviour change in times of distress.

So here is a poem which I have penned with a heavy heart and a small thank you to the Almighty for bringing the little bundle of happiness in my life.

Elsewhere, the landscape is full of difficulties

Trespassing with bad news

Keeping me on tenterhooks

Sitting calmly like ballooning grey clouds

The present seems to be running in a tunnel

Darkness looming all around

I offer my orison for a light

That seemed ages ago

The mask of courage slips off

Lips simply fail to meet the counterpart

With life’s problems tasseled and hanging precariously

As I worry to sleep

But one moment devoted to playing with the kiddo

And life is worth living for the happiness

Given by the naive to the sophisticated

During that time worries sleeps between

The funny antics of mine

As orient me hit by the smiling air

With a strange trance

It spreads its cage

Giving a fillip to fight on

Without imprisoning me to fear

One moment devoted to playing with the kiddo

This post is written for Blogchatter's initiative #HalfTime2016 for the Blogbuddy members where I am a part of the group #Blogwiz

About the author- Karan Shah is a corporate lawyer and a freelance writer. A poet at heart, all his writings have a beautiful rhythm and rhyme, even the most prosaic ones. Co-editor of the college magazine, scribble is his blog where he makes the arguments he usually can’t make in Court. If not seen arguing at either of the places, often trekking and travelling, exploring new places.He is from a small valley town of Roha in western Maharashtra and currently he stays in Mumbai.

On the jacket- Some of us put up a brave fight and try and live life on our own terms, while sadly the majority resigns to the fact that they have to accept whatever life throws at them and keep moving. Here author attempts to dissect human lifetrying to reason that even if people have to accept the fate it has to be with dignity and not with a sense of defeat.

Review- We all have some ideal characteristics that define us. It is these characteristics that take us long in this journey of life. But, there comes a time when our ideals, our characteristic is put to test by the life's various challenges and situations. It is our behaviour during the distressed time, that truly define us. This behaviour stems from the ideal characteristics that define us. The book 'Human Being' details those very characteristics in present life situations.

So characteristics such as 'Acceptance', 'Boastful', 'Insouciant', 'Nonjudgmental', 'Quaint' and many more which we at most times fail to exercise, the author brings them to limelight. The author uses short stories to explain the importance of such characteristics and in a way brings them to life which had been left far behind in this journey of life.

The author rightly puts the need for being human not by words, but by character.

Overall: I would recommend everyone to read this wonderful and place it as a guide for being a better human being.

About the author- Chandni Moudgil is a working mother trying to attain the nonexistent professional and personal balance. She took up bloggingas a means to build her life in thethird dimension. As she marches on to create something that she terms as‘Digital identity’,she’s found her first book along the journey. Open to criticism or conversations albeit over coffee, you can find her tweeting about herLifeInTechnicolouror blogging about everything under the sun at her alternate reality space.

On the jacket- Every Day Stories about some extra ordinary women. A bored housewifeplans the perfect escape,an ambitious top performergets double crossed by life,a young girl harbours a secret that’s eating her up inside. Turn the pages to discover the world of Everyday Women and don’t be surprised if you see someone you know in there.

Review- Got Me For Life is a collection of 26 short stories where the protagonist is a woman in each story. Women play an important part in our lives and the small things which they do rarely gets noticed. Along with that, her dreams, her aspirations, her wishes also gets suppressed in the male dominated society. However, the author through her stories has brought back the dreams, the aspirations, the wishes of thousand's of women. Stories such as Beauty With Purpose', 'Dreams', 'Half Past Thirty Five' Isn't It Ironic' and many others bring out the hidden pain and hidden wishes which dwells within a woman.

While reading the book, it felt as if the author has lived through some of the situations, if not all while penning the stories. Or as it is said on the jacket, 'dont be surprised if you see someone you know in there'. The stories took me through the realities of life and the way we as human beings mold ourselves accordingly. Some of the stories are so simple yet hard hitting whereas some of the stories will make you think.

Overall: I enjoyed reading the book 'Got Me For Life' for the wonderful stories which it has in store. I would recommend this book to each and everyone who loves reading.

Monday, 4 July 2016

With this cruel curse on Krishna, Queen Gandhari plunges mankind into the unspeakable evil of the Kali Yuga.

It is up to Pradyumna to try and reverse the dire prediction. To journey into terrifying realms, confront Yama and Shiva, and to vanquish the Kali demon. In order to do so, he must shed all that holds a mortal back—his arrogance, his fears, his baser instincts… He must lead his people out of the swirling vortex of greed, disease and misery. And there is one powerful weapon still…the secret surrounding Pradyumna’s origin.

Usha Narayanan had a successful career in advertising, radio and corporate communications before becoming a full-time writer. She is the author of The Madras Mangler, a suspense thriller, and Love, Lies and Layoffs, a light-hearted office romance. The Secret of God’s Son is the sequel to her bestselling book, Pradyumna: Son of Krishna, which was published in July 2015.

When she’s not juggling travel, writing and interviews, Usha reads everything from thrillers to romances, provided her cat isn’t fast asleep on her Kindle. She would love to hear from her readers here: author@ushanarayanan.com